Baccarat is famous worldwide as the game of choice for James Bond and high-rolling Asian billionaires.

In fact, Baccarat is arguably the easiest table game in the entire casino, functioning almost exactly like a simple coin flip.

Understanding How Baccarat is Played

You simply place your chips on either the Banker section, the Player section, or the Tie section.

Cards 2 through 9 are worth their face value, Aces are worth 1, and 10s and Face cards (Jacks, Queens, Kings) are worth absolutely zero.

• The dealer distributes two cards to the Player hand and two cards to the Banker hand
• Depending on the exact totals, a complex set of casino rules determines if a third card is drawn for either side
• You do not need to memorize the third-card drawing rules; the dealer executes them automatically

Mini-Baccarat and Other Popular Variations

While the core math remains the same, casinos offer several variations to speed up the game or cater to different budgets.

Another popular variation is ‘EZ Baccarat,’ which completely eliminates the annoying 5% commission on the Banker bet.

Simply sit down, consistently bet the Banker, and let the dealer handle the complex drawing rules.